Recorded at Power Play Studios, New York.

This is an Enhanced CD which contains both regular audio tracks and multimedia computer files.

Eric B. & Rakim: Rakim (rap vocals); Eric B. (DJ).

Additional personnel: Matt Black, DJ Cell (scratches).

Producers: Eric B. & Rakim.

Reissue producer: Jerry Rappaport.

Recorded at Powerplay Studios, New York, New York. Includes liner notes by Tom Terrell.

Digitally remastered by Suah Gur.

Disc two is an Enhanced CD, which contains both regular audio tracks and multimedia computer files.

Personnel: Rakim (rap vocals); Eric B. (scratches).

Recorded at Power Play Studios, New York, New York.

Liner Note Author: Tom Terrell.

PAID IN FULL is perhaps the most important album of the middle-school era of hip-hop--"I Know You Got Soul," "I Ain't No Joke," and "Eric B. Is President" are as classic as hip-hop songs get. Eric B. & Rakim pioneered the minimalist sound that would form the new-school of hip-hop aesthetics with Eric B.'s innovative distillation of James Brown samples to pure drum and bass-line splendor and Rakim's narcissistic monotonal lyrical bombast. The title cut forwarded the manifesto that all others in hip-hop were to follow: the eternal search for dead presidents.

PAID IN FULL is perhaps the most important album of the middle-school era of hip-hop--"I Know You Got Soul," "I Ain't No Joke," and "Eric B. Is President" are as classic as hip-hop songs get. Eric B. & Rakim pioneered the minimalist sound that would form the new-school of hip-hop aesthetics with Eric B.'s innovative distillation of James Brown samples to pure drum and bass line splendor and Rakim's narcissistic monotonal lyrical bombast. The title cut forwarded the manifesto that all others in hip-hop were to follow: the eternal search for dead presidents.

The platinum edition of PAID IN FULL also includes a CD of all the official U.S. and U.K. remixes, the most famous of which is Coldcut's infamous "7 Minutes of Madness" mix of the title track. The remix doubles the length of the track and brings in sampled guest appearances by then television announcer Don Pardo and then little-known Egyptian vocalist Ofra Haza. Other standouts on the second disc include Derek B.'s remix of "Paid in Full," featuring snatches of John Cougar's "Jack and Diane" and Richie Rich's mix of "I Know You Got Soul," which showcases the guitar riff from Rufus & Chaka Khan's "Ain't Nobody."

PAID IN FULL is perhaps the most important album of the middle-school era of hip-hop--"I Know You Got Soul," "I Ain't No Joke," and "Eric B. Is President" are as classic as hip-hop songs get. Eric B. & Rakim pioneered the minimalist sound that would form the new-school of hip-hop aesthetics with Eric B.'s innovative distillation of James Brown samples to pure drum and bass line splendor and Rakim's narcissistic monotonal lyrical bombast. The title cut forwarded the manifesto that all others in hip-hop were to follow: the eternal search for dead presidents.